A landing impact damper for missiles, whose velocity of descent during the landing process is determined by a brake parachute, and whose impact on the ground is reduced by the use of landing pads in the form of inflatable flexible tubes, has been known from DE-C-33 23 348. The landing pad comprises a plastically deformable tubular film, one end of which is pushed in and is pulled through the other end, so that an opening for introducing a pressurized gas is formed between the walls of the ends inserted into one another. At least two tubular films can be inserted into one another, and openings for introducing pressurized gas are formed between the walls of all ends inserted into one another, and the degree of filling of the individual tubular films can be set differently via valve elements, e.g., in a temperature-dependent manner. This impact pad offers increased lateral stability, so that the increase in pressure generated during the impact of the load is reduced by a plastic deformation of the material, and the load is extensively prevented from bouncing back.
Another impact pad for damping the shock of impact of aircraft rescue systems and other jettisoned loads has been known from DE-A-41 18 300. At least one pressure relief opening is provided, which opens automatically at a predetermined, defined overpressure and ensures the reduction of the pressure in the impact pad. An increase in pressure that is generated in the impact pad during the impact of an aircraft on the ground is thus reduced in order to likewise prevent a rebound effect.
Finally, DE-A-30 24 551 discloses a landing impact-damping system for loads returning from the air space, in which gas-filled damping members consisting of flexible material, which are folded up when not in use and are automatically filled with ambient air during unfolding by drawing in ambient air, are used, wherein damping members that briefly compress the air filling on impact on the ground and then blow it off are provided.
Besides these prior-art air bag systems, which are frequently used for landing aircraft, such as capsules, pallets, drones, etc., on parachutes, balloons or paragliders, so-called retrorockets, i.e., landing rockets, which generate a thrust directed opposite the force of gravity for a short time and brake the craft in question immediately before touchdown on the ground as a result, have been known as well. However, such systems with the fuel systems belonging to them are technically complicated, have a rather substantial space requirement, and appreciably increase the weight of the aircraft or spacecraft.
In contrast, the use of air bag type landing impact-damping systems offers the advantage that they are relatively lightweight, have a simple design and occupy little space in the inactive state. However, the drawback of all the prior-art air bag systems is that not only vertical velocity components, but also horizontal velocity components, which are generated, e.g., in the case of paragliders by wind or gliding directions, usually also must be damped with the air bag systems during the impact of the aircraft or spacecraft.
A suitable air bag type landing-damping system is a gas-filled, torus ring-shaped or rectangular gas container, which is inflated before landing. The desired damping action is achieved during impact by a medium, with which the air bag type landing-damping system is filled, i.e., air or another gas, being blown off during the landing proper, i.e., at the time of contact with the ground, as a function of the velocity of descent, the weight of the aircraft or spacecraft, and the desired braking. This can be achieved by opening suitable discharge valves.
However, the above-mentioned horizontal velocity components during landing mean a high risk of overturning of the aircraft or spacecraft, which is to be avoided especially in the case of missions with sensitive measuring instruments or the transportation of passengers.